My guest today is Gavin Haynes, a freelance journalist, writer, presenter and former editor-at-large at Vice. He's here to talk to us about the Purity Spiral. How a process of moral outbidding is corroding communities from within.

Episode 155: Robert M Ellis on the Thought of Sangharakshita

Sep 13th, 2020 39m 47s

In this week's podcast, the chair of the Middle Way Society, Robert M Ellis talks to us about his most recent book 'The Thought of Sangharakshita: A Critical Assessment'.

Episode 154: Polly Wignall on overcoming psychosis

Aug 3rd, 2020 39m 45s

Our guest today is Polly Wignall. Polly is a former mental health nurse who is now in the process of writing a book about her personal experience of psychosis. Her story is a fascinating and valuable insight into the experience of madness and h

Episode 153: Member profile, Anna Markey

Jul 3rd, 2020 36m 14s

In this latest member profile, Anna Markey talks to us about her background in Australia, her time spent in India as a young woman and her initial engagement with Buddhism. She then goes on to talk about her interest in language and her career

Coping with Solitude under Covid 19 Lockdown: Stephen Batchelor's advice

Apr 15th, 2020 5m

An extract from an interview with Stephen Batchelor for the Middle Way Society about his latest book 'The Art of Solitude' in which he offers some reflections and advice on how to deal with self-isolation during the corona virus emergency.

Stephen Batchelor on the Art of Solitude

Apr 12th, 2020 44m 42s

Our guest today is Stephen Batchelor, a patron of the MW Society, author and Buddhist scholar who's here to talk about his latest book 'The Art of Solitude'.

Episode 151: Mark Austin on 5Rhythms

Nov 27th, 2019 22m 3s

My guest today is Mark Austin who is an accredited teacher of 5Rhythms dance classes, which he runs regularly in the north of England. In the interview we explore the origins of the practice, what it is, how a typical session pans out and how i

Episode 150: Adam Luecke on mindfulness and analytical thought

Nov 13th, 2019 49m 28s

Our guest today is Adam Luecke PH. D who is currently an Assistant Teaching Professor at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. His research focuses on multiple areas of social psychology, including prosocial behaviour and the benefits of mi

Episode 149: David Robson on the Intelligence Trap

Aug 31st, 2019 51m 15s

My guest today is David Robson, David is an award-winning science writer and editor, who specialises in writing in-depth articles probing the extremes of the human mind, body and behaviour. He was a features editor at New Scientist for five yea

Sally Kohn on the Opposite of Hate

Jul 17th, 2019 28m 46s

Our guest today is Sally Kohn, who arguably is one of the leading progressive voices in America. A frequent guest on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. Sally is a popular keynote speaker including most recently with the Forgiveness Project , talking abo

Episode 147: Robert M Ellis on the Buddha's Middle Way

Jun 2nd, 2019 26m 47s

We are joined today by the philosopher and founder of the Middle Way Society. Robert has been a regular guest on the podcast and is the author of a range of books on Middle Way Philosophy, both within and beyond Buddhism, including The Christi

Episode 146: Katherine Weare on Happy Teachers Change the World

May 1st, 2019 54m 8s

Our guest today is Katherine Weare who is Emeritus Professor at the University of Exeter where she is working to develop and evaluate mindfulness in schools programs. Katherine is a dedicated mindfulness practitioner herself as well as a qualif

Episode 145: George Monbiot on Rewilding

Mar 17th, 2019 37m 25s

Today’s guest is the British environmental writer and political activist George Monbiot. George writes a weekly column for The Guardian, and is the author of a number of books, including Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain (2000)

Episode 144: Simon Bell on Tribalism and Prejudice

Mar 3rd, 2019 49m 22s

Our guest today is Simon Bell. Simon is a retired mental health nurse who spent 37 years working in the National Health Service in the U.K. For 22 years he dealt solely with suspects, defendants and offenders from the time of their arrest until

Episode 143: Maryanne Wolf on the Reading Brain in a Digital World

Jan 20th, 2019 45m 6s

My guest today is Maryanne Wolf. Maryanne is the John Dibiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service and Director of the Center for Reading and Language Research. She is an expert on the neurological underpinnings of reading, language,

Episode 143: Jeremy Sherman and Robert M Ellis on civility and morality

Dec 3rd, 2018 56m 2s

As an add on to the previous Middle Way Society podcast on the origin of striving, we are again joined by the decision theorist Jeremy Sherman. This time he will be in discussion with the chair of the society, the philosopher Robert M Ellis on

Episode 142: Jeremy Sherman on the origin of striving

Oct 22nd, 2018 53m 22s

Our guest today is Jeremy Sherman. Jeremy is a decision theorist researching and writing about choice from the origin of life to everyday living. He teaches college courses across the social sciences and blogs for Psychology Today. He’s here to

Episode 141: Keith Kahn-Harris on Denialism

Sep 24th, 2018 34m 35s

We are joined today by the writer, sociologist, lecture and music critic, Keith Kahn-Harris. His books include Judaism: All That Matters, Uncivil War: The Israel Conflict in the Jewish Community, Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge and

Episode 140: Jeremy Lent and Robert M Ellis discussing 'The Patterning Instinct'

Sep 3rd, 2018 1h 8m

We are joined today by the author and integrator Jeremy Lent and the chair of the Middle Way Society Robert M Ellis. Jeremy was a recent guest on the podcast when he spoke to us about his book “The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Hum

Episode 136: Alex Beard on Natural Born Learners

Aug 14th, 2018 52m 42s

Our guest today is Alex Beard. Alex is a former English teacher at a London comprehensive and is now a senior director at Teach For All, a growing network of independent organizations working to ensure that all children fulfil their potential.

Episode 139: Laura Bridgman on the Inner Critic and the Middle Way

Aug 12th, 2018 26m 58s

Our guest today is Laura Bridgman. Laura was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1995, and was resident at Amaravati and Chithurst monasteries in the UK for eighteen years until she moved out to live as a solitary nun in 2010. In 2015 Laura left the

Episode 138: Allan Frater on Psychosynthesis

Jul 13th, 2018 41m 40s

My guest today is Allan Frater, a psychotherapist and teacher at the Psychosynthesis Trust in London.Psychosynthesis is a transpersonal or psychospiritual psychology, in which the spiritual or soulful is integrated with the psychological. I

Sangharakshita on the Middle Way and Buddhism

Jul 2nd, 2018 48m 28s

Sangharakshita is the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community, previously known as the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO). He is also the author of dozens of books and hundreds of lectures on Buddhism. Brought up in Londo

Episode 135: Anthony McCann on the Garaiocht Manifesto

May 1st, 2018 47m 29s

We’re joined this week by the creative and versatile polymath Anthony McCann. As a keynote speaker, after-dinner speaker, consultant, coach, trainer, and facilitator, he inspires people to reimagine and redesign their relationships, working env

Interview 134: Robert M Ellis on the Christian Middle Way

Apr 13th, 2018 26m 46s

Our guest today is the philosopher Robert M Ellis. Robert is the creator of Middle Way Philosophy, a practical philosophy working out the implications of human uncertainty and embodiment for every aspect of our lives, and the founder of the Mid